Usually when I hear the words “inculturation” my reaction is, well, on alert for syncretism, for a negative critique of western civilization, for some kind of innovation that undermines the Gospel.

Cardinal Sarah’s interpretation puts all my concerns to rest.

Here’s a photo of the bottom half of page 225 from the book, in which Cardinal Sarah says: “Certainly, the cultures and the new Christians bring riches into the Church: the liturgy of the Ordinariates for Anglicans who are now in full communion with the Catholic Church is a fine example of this.”

The rubrics in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite also mandate such pauses for liturgical silence to give us a chance to reflect on the readings and the homilies. Unfortunately, far too many of our clergy are utterly clueless as to the purpose of those rubrics and the pastoral benefit that they provide, and thus disregard them. In any other job, such blundering incompetence would be basis for dismissal.